Pneumatic cushion.



No. 850,181. PATENTED APR. 16, 1907. V. H. PODSTATA.

PNEUMATIC CUSHION.

APPLICATION FILED APB.21,1906.

4 c f? 5 M 7 a 6 /i- J 16 9 6 if I 14 I -a u 40 b V E Jive lion M WM W PNEUMATIC CUSHION.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed April 21, 1906. Serial N0r313,033|

N0. 850,181. Patented April 16, 1 907.

stem is slidable within the tubular stem of e plunger. The tubular stem terminates atits inner end ina pair of oppositely-disposed transversely-extending arms 8, w 'ch arms are turned at right angles to the fingers 6 of the plun er-body with which the stem cooperates. t is therefore ap arent that at one end of the cushion is a p unger having two arms connected with a tubular stem and two gers at right angles to the arms and connected withthe plunger-body and that at the opposite end of the cushion the parts are d in reverse relation. Around the walls of the cylinder or casing are arranged ly spaced with re To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that a citizen ot the United States, residing at unning, in the count k and State of inois, have invented certain new and usein Pneumatic Cushions, of

cushion located and the frame for the efi' greater or less extent.

further object, which forms the subject-matter of the presentinvention, is to provide against a cushion has been depressed by a against the 'wheel' p quickly bringing the'vehic e-body to a state of rest, there y increasing the effinect the lower plunger-stem tending fingers of the upper The length of the cylinder is su mit of considerable lay or reciprocation of the rods, and the ro s are preferably held in 1place by means of longitudinally-extending ugs or ribs 11 on th ffplunger-body.

I e inner wall of the cylintion of an automobile-frame emp oymg the drical shell or casing which are suitably space neumatic OllShlOIl of the present invention to provide guideways for the reciprocation of the rods.

As shown in Fig. 1, the cushion is fitted for use by attaching one of the plunger-stems to the running-gear 12 of a vehicle and theother plunger-stem to the body-frame 13 of a vehiole, althou h it will be understood thatthe vehicle-b0 y of Fig. 1 serves merely for the purpose of illustration and that the method of attachment therein sh any manner desirable.

ithin thecylinder is located a rece tacle 14, preferably forme hicl nesses of material, an inner elastic bag shell or cylinder and in e evation the neumatic cushion. Fig. 3 is a lon 'tudina sectional elevation of the device; 4, a to or plan View of the plunger and inner bracl et, and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

e erring more especially to Fig. 2, the cushion consists of casing 1, preferably of ing ends 2, each With a flanged opening 3 for the projection of the tubular stem 4 of a plunger 5. The plungers are of t eachis pro- 1 cylindrical form,

neumatic convex or rounded formation, and 5 and an outer non-elastic sheath or casing vided with apair of oppositely-disposed out- 16. is admitted 'throu h a valve 17, wardly-extending fingers 6, the gers on the which may be of any suita le description. upper plunger bein located at right angles to The pneumatlc receptacle is preferably of oval formation and of iameter substantially equal to, the dlameter of the outer cylinder, and Figs. 2 and 3 represent the shape of the receptacle under normal conditions when the vehicle is at rest, the ends of the bag being inwardly compressed by the weight of the vehicle. When the vehic the fingers on the ower plunger, as Wlll appear from an inspection of Fig. 2. Each of the plungers is formed in two sections, the rounded body portion and the stem, which stem is of tubular formation, as shown in Fig. 3, and has entered thereinto a stud 7, rigidl connected to the body of the plunger, whic 1 e is in mo cient to operown can be varied in tion, the plunge-rs will work in opposite directions, and any jolt or jar will inwardly project the tubular stems toward one another and with the stems the plungerbodies will be driven in against the pneumatic tension of the rem-:ptacle or cushion, the plungers acting in opposite directions and causing the compression to be centered at the points of greatest e'lliciency. This makes the device very sensitive; but at the same time the arrangement would result in an objectionable rebound were it not for the provision of the connecting side bars, which operate to prevent the rebound aftcr the compression of the pneumatic receptacle. As the vehiclebody tends to fly back after being depressed, the u per plunger-stem will be upwardly carrie. with the vehicle-body, and this movement of the upper plungcrstem imparts a corresponding movement to the low er plunger-head through the medium of the side bars which connect the arms 8 of the upper plunger-stem with the fingers 6 of the lower plunger-head. It will thus be seen that the rebound is prevented by the abutment of the lower plunger-head against the lower end of the flexible pneumatic cushion, so that the rebound is pneumatically prevented and the vehicle will come to rest in a very short space of time without olts or jars and without any continued bounding or rocking, whichwould s fi be the case if no means. were providedfforx The actionis the same with respect to 'ajolt'or jar which would tend to draw back the lower plun'erjpreventing the rebound.

stem, and the motion of such stem woul be imparted to the upper plunger-head in the manner heretofore described. It-will be observed that the arrangementis one, which tends to compress the elastic pneumatic cushion in whatever ,Way the force is applied,

and this arrangement holds-the vehicle-body poised in a state ofequilibriumv ith respect to the running-gear-and at the same time pre vents all jars or shocks which would be the case if a less sensitive; cushionin' were employed. By making heads and plunger-stems sep'arat of the movement of the stems-Which are Icon nected wit-l1 the vehicle bod- [and running; gear. This prevents any jo" ting or 'arring; j since the several elementsfor deyice Carin-1;;

osing the complete structurewillfa 11st" t emselves automatically and-withoutfjjar or friction to the changedconditions incidentto a medium w je 2'. extending fingers arranged at right angles to I the arms, and slidably-mounted bars continct from one another & C'fin'stant tension or compression is eiierted Iongeach end of the pneumatic receptacle orcushion regardless nection between each section of the structure to be cushioned and the adjacent plungerbody adapted to actuate such plunger-body by an inward thrust due to the bound, and a connection between each section of the structure to be cushioned and the opposite lunger-body for actuating such plunger- )ody on the rebound, substantially as described.

2. A cushion consisting of a rigid outer casing, a pneumatic receptacle within the easing,-two oppositely-disposed plunger-bodies slidably mounted within the casing, each of the plunger-bodies provided with a connection with the adjacent portion of the structure to be cushioned for receiving the inward thrust due to the bound, and oppositelydisposed side bars connecting the sections of the structure to be cushioned with the nonadjacent plunger-body for actuating such plunger-body by the rebound after the initial compression of the pneumatic receptacle, substantially as described.

3. A cushion consisting of a rigid outer casing, a pneumatic receptacle inside the casing, oppositely-disposed plungers slidably mounted in the casing, each of the plungers consisting of a plunger-head and a stem slidably mountedwith respect to one another, d'bars connectin 'vthe plunger-head of one 'er -with the plunger-stem of-the com- .plunger 'and other bars connecting nger '-stem of the first mentioned r with the plunger-head of the secondmentionedyplunger for. minimlzmgthe re-.

bound, substantially as described.

4. a cushion, the combination of a rigid elongated cylindrical casing, a pne'umatic receptacle' withinthe c asing, oppositely-disposed plungers slidably mounted Within the casing and adapted to bear against the opposite ends of the pneumatic rece tacle, each of the plungers consisting of a tu ular plungerstem having outwardly-extending arms and lunger head having a stud slidably mount- "within the stem and having outwardlynecting the arms of one stem With the fingers of the companion head and similar bars connecting the fingers of the first-mentioned 5. In a cushion the'combination of a rigid elongated cylindr cal casing, a pneumatic receptaclefwithin the casing consisting of an elastic inner bag and a non-elastic surroundmg sheath, oppositely-disposed plunger- .bodies slidably mountedwithin the caslng,

gche'bodies bein further connected to the companion portion of the structure to be plunger with the arms of the second-ment'ioned plunger, substantially'as described.

cushioned for receiving a compressing'moveeither direction by the 0 positely-disposed ment due to the rebound, substantially as plunger-bodies for provi ing a cushioning described. I action between the vehicle-body and the 6. In combination with a vehicle axle axle, a connection between the first-men- 5 and body, a cushion consistin of a rigid tioned plunger-bodyand the vehicle-body, zo elongated outer shell or casing aving shdand a connection between the second-menably mounted therein op ositely-arran ed tioned plunger-body and the axle for rovidplunger-bodies, one of the lunger-bodies eing an inward compressing action or the ng connected with the ax e and adapted to plungers to prevent an excessive rebound 10 receive an inward thrust therefrom due to after the inward compression, substantially 25 the bound, andthe other plunger-body be as described. connected to the vehicle-body and adapt d VACLAV H. PODSTATA. to receive an inward thrust therefrom due Witnesses: l .to the bound, a pneumatic receptacle within SAMUEL W. BANNING, r 5 the casing adapted to be compressed from 1' WALKER BANNING. 

